Biology at Hamline University

Hamline's biology program shows promising earnings despite an open-admission environment, though a small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could fluctuate year to year. At $37,382 starting out, graduates earn above both the national median ($32,316) and Minnesota's median ($35,984), landing in the 81st percentile nationally. The $27,000 median debt sits just above state and national averages, creating a manageable 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates owe less than a year's salary.

The real question is why this program falls to the 60th percentile within Minnesota when it ranks so much higher nationally. Looking at the state's top performers, several public universities like Saint Cloud State and Metropolitan State push earnings into the low $40,000s. Hamline's starting salary trails these schools by roughly $5,000-7,000, though the 23% earnings growth to $45,878 by year four shows graduates aren't stuck at entry-level positions. For a private school serving a significant population of Pell grant recipients (40%), these outcomes represent solid middle-tier performance.

The limited sample size is the primary caveat here—with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, a handful of career outcomes could significantly sway these figures. If consistency matters more than chasing the highest potential earnings, families might prefer the larger, more predictable outcomes at Minnesota's flagship public institutions. Still, for students drawn to Hamline's smaller private-school environment, the biology program delivers respectable financial returns without excessive debt burden.